Sponsor a Workshop

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The ESS curriculum and workshops are designed so that sponsoring organizations and faculty can teach the information to new staff, trustees, board members, and volunteers at grantmaking foundations and infrastructure organizations. Sponsoring organizations are welcome to review the curriculum and supporting materials for session 1—Being Grounded in Philanthropy. To access the full curriculum, which consists of seven sessions, send an email to leaders@cof.org.

Sponsoring organizations may host an individual ESS workshop or the complete three-day program. While the ESS curriculum is free, the sponsoring organization hosting a workshop is responsible for coordinating, marketing, hosting the event, and training faculty and may choose to charge participants a fee. We've made it easy for you to host an ESS workshop by providing you with information and materials.

How do you Sponsor an ESS Workshop?

First, we recommend that you put together a project plan. A project plan includes timelines and tasks similar to the ones on this suggested timeline and tasks checklist. Below are tips on how you can create your own project plan:

Review the curriculum outline and identify which of the workshops you'd like to offer. Session 1—Being Grounded in Philanthropy—must be offered first; the other workshops can be offered in any order.

Select the date, time, and location of your program and email your information to leaders@cof.org. We'll add your information to the online calendar. This calendar will promote your workshop to a national audience and also inform the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers of your ESS offering. The Forum will announce your program in its member news vehicles.

Select a staff person to be the ESS session site coordinator. The site coordinator supports the faculty and should be present during the session. He/she is responsible for organizing the logistics, registration, and materials as well as setting up the equipment and room. Some faculty members—especially those conducting their first ESS workshop—may ask for the following assistance during the session:

handing out session materials throughout the workshop

setting up materials for upcoming exercises

setting up the slides while the presenter is speaking

helping monitor exercise groups and facilitate feedback

handling the microphones

giving out rewards as part of exercises

Identity and confirm faculty to teach the workshop.

Promote the event using the promotion materials available on this website. These materials are designed so that you can customize the documents to suit your needs.Note: Please include the ESS program logo [jpg] in all materials. The ESS logo symbolizes a fieldwide and field-sanctioned standardized new grantmaker orientation.

Ways to Promote your Workshop

Include the ESS curriculum flier [pdf] as you promote your workshop. Note: Use a color printer to print the flier.

Finalize the date, time, and location of your workshop, email your information to leaders@cof.org. We'll add your information to the online calendar. (The Council staff will use the calander to promote your workshop in other Council communication vehicles.)